Happy Birthday Grandma Elaine!

March 15th is a very special day.  My Grandma Othella Elaine Morris Brown was born this day.  It always gives me a happy feeling to think about her and to remember the things I love about her.  I have to smile also today, knowing that she and my mom are spending her birthday together. My mom has said to me on many occasions how sad she was that her Mother passed away before she got to meet all of her grandchildren and her great grandchildren and now her great great grandchildren.  I remember saying to my mom how lucky we were to have her watching out for us on earth and how strongly we felt that she had a hand in helping to choose the spirits that would join our forever family.  I understand better now what Mom meant when she would say that to me.  I miss her so much and know she is missing being here with us, but isn't missing what is happening with our family.  I love you Grandma Elaine and I love you Mom!

"Dante' Where Are YOU?"

(as told to me by my dad)

Whenever I leave the house,
There is someone who wants to come along
No, it’s not my sweet wife,
She’s fine and happy to stay at home,

It’s not one of my five children,
For they are all now grown,
A small white dog, we've come to love
A steady friend from heaven above

Dante is always ready
To follow me outside
A leash is not his style,
He prefers walking at my side

One morning we departed,
Just to walk up to the hill
We walked along
And I whistled a song

Enjoying our time together.
Then all at once
A garage door opened
And out of it sprang a cat

I don’t think I told you this before,
Dante’ HATES every cat,
He thinks it is his job on earth,
To chase each one he sees

To try to scare them out of his way
And maybe up a tree
Well, this old man, lost track of him
As he disappeared from view

I thought he would be coming back
And I waited for him to renew
But he didn’t come running back
And I began to think,

Perhaps he has run on home
So I turned around to think
When I returned back home inside
My sweetie said he hadn’t come

She was not a fan of me
Taking him without a leash
I assured her home he would run
We waited and the worry grew

Some signs we did create
Lost, one small white dog
Who answers to Dante’
Please call 255-5646, before it’s late

We took them around and posted
Them on every post and tree
Hoping someone had seen him
And would bring him home to me

The day went on, many prayers were said
Our grandkids far and wide
All prayed that he would come back home
At last, our phone did ring,

I ran to answer the phone
Never a faster run for me
On the other end was our good friend
Whose cat had run out of the garage,

When they returned from their event
And opened up their garage door,
Out came running, a small white dog
The one that we adore

So I’d like to say,
That every time he takes a walk with me
His leash he wears and stays right by
Me but that wouldn't be the truth you see.

All Aboard? Let's Go!!!!!

Our Mansfield Thiots
This was Ricky's week to head west to the Midland and Odessa part of his sales route.  With our crazy weather this week, it made it more of a challenge than normal.  I'm glad to report he made it home safely.  The girls enjoyed another SNOW, no school day on Thursday.  We really got quite a bit of snow this time.  We were so glad to see the sunshine come out Thursday afternoon and start the melting process.  Now that Spring Break begins tomorrow, we are hoping for some spring like weather. I had a very fun visit in Mansfield on Tuesday.  We made some yummy St. Pats day popcorn and did some painting using green peppers as stamps.  Oh my goodness, can we make a mess in a jiffy.  Sorry Becky:)

Our Charlottesville Granges
All Aboard, Let's Goooooooooo!!!!!  Last Monday morning when Maxwell James opened his eyes, his life as he knew it for 23 months changed.  Gone were the nice soft pampers diapers and he was sporting his first pair of Big boy Pants.  Climb aboard the Potty Train Little Max!  Penny and Tatia had been having fun getting him all excited for this life changing event.  They had purchased "Potty Prizes" and a big Jar of Peanut Butter M&M's was in place on the back of the potty.  Lots of Apple juice was in the fridge along with some salty snacks to encourage lots of drinking.  Day one through Day five were tough and just when both Tatia and Jake were ready to pull out the diapers, and give up, Mister Max came through by staying dry all night and figuring out how to go in the potty.  Prayers answered!  Go Max! Penny couldn't be prouder of her little brother.  Chooo Chooo!

Our Carmichael Thiots
The weather in Carmichael has been pretty nice this week and Charlie tried out Mackenzie's new hammock on the back porch.  It's like having an extra bedroom sleeping on the back porch.  My dad grew up in a family of ten children.  His room was always on the back porch and no it was not enclosed or heated but he survived.  When Dick was a young boy, he loved sleeping over at his Grandmother and Daddy Jim's home and he always got the room on the front porch.  There is something to this porch sleeping Charlie.  Way to go!

Our L.A. Thiots
Pierce has been working in Florida this week and Stacy and Adelaide are home keeping busy making bracelets and squeezing in fun times with friends.  I'm so impressed how well they do with Pierce's new traveling schedule.  I know they would prefer him to be home, but they are doing well on their own.  Go Girls!!!!!  Stacy and Adelaide are planning a trip to Dallas latter this month.  I'm sad that I will be in Virginia when they come.  Not sad that I will be in Virginia, but sad that I will miss seeing them.

Our Dallas Thiots
Last night at about 9:00, our Ireland Travelers returned to Dallas.  It was sure good to see them and the first stop we made was to Taco Bueno.  They were both needing some "good" mexican food to welcome them back to the states.  They had a really good time and Skyler learned to navigate the roads of Ireland driving on the wrong side of the road and on the wrong side of the car to boot.  Kara was a great trip planner and they got to see and do and experience the wonderful country of Ireland.  Can't wait to see the photos.  We loved getting to face time with them a couple of times and it was almost as good as being there.  Not quite, but close.  Welcome home you too.  I bet Mister Branson is delighted to have you home too. Kara will celebrate her birthday this Tuesday!  Happy Birthday Kara!

We Plano Thiots
I came across this photo this week and I just loved it.  I love how this beautiful mother swan is able to put her babies under her wing and keep them safe and protected.  What a look of love she is giving them and encouraging them to stay put.  As a mother that is what we want for our own little chicks and it's tricky to have them grow up and not be able to protect them and keep them safe from dangers in this world.
Our Single Adult Group had a Day of Service on Saturday.  I'm glad to report that some good service took place.  It was not as well organized as I would have wished for but it all worked out.  I am learning that when you are on the Lords errand, organization is not always key.  Dick, Danielle and I were able to help a sister in our ward with a stuck shut front door.  With only 3 trips to Home Depot, her door is now opening and closing again.  It took longer that we had hoped it might, but the Lords time is not our own.  Perhaps s he needed that extra time of visiting with us that we were able to give.
Dick has a new deadline to complete a big project.  He has been working around the clock to complete it and felt a little bad to loose an hour today as we sprung into Day light Savings Time. Good Luck Dick.  I'm praying you can make the head way you need to make. Have a good week everybody!  SLY Robynn

Do you want to build a Snowman? burrrrr

Our Mansfield Thiots
It's been a icy, snowy, cold week in Texas.  Brooklyn and Addison both had snow days on Monday and Tuesday and Harpers Preschool had a snow day on Tuesday too.  There was some fun sleigh riding via cookie sheets in the backyard.  Addison discovered a way to incorporate their slide into the sleigh ride.  Very fun.  This is one of the longest cold spells we've had for a while.  We are usually quite spoiled with just  a day or two of cold and then warmer days.  We are promised warmer days by Tuesday.  I hope the weather man can keep his promise.

Do you want to build a snowman?

Our Charlottesville Granges
Like Texas, Charlottesville has been cold and snowy.  Virginia knows how to make a lot more than we do and Penny and Max have enjoyed some sledding too.  They've had a couple of sick days as well and Tatia has gotten started on Baby Boy's new quilt. She's cut out LOTS and LOTS of four inch triangles and is in the process of sewing them all together.  It's going to be way fun I just know.  Keep on Sewing Tatia!  Saturday afternoon some of her friends invited her to lunch at AppleBees as a fun girls getaway before the baby comes.  I bet is was way fun.

Enjoying some cotton candy at Aunt Monica's house

Our Carmichael Thiots
Charlie's family made it back last Sunday night from their quick trip to Salt Lake for a cousins wedding.  The roads were pretty good all the way home.  Charlie sent me some fun pictures of a visit they made to a pioneer village.  What fun Callum and Keelie had dressing up and learning more about the Pioneers.  Happy Birthday this week Mackenzie!  We will be thinking of you and hope you have an extra special day on Thursday!

Our L.A. Thiots
On Monday, Dick was talking to one of his customers in the LA area and they needed him to come for a quick trip.  So he left on Tuesday afternoon and returned home early Friday morning.  He got to have a couple of fun visits with Pierce, Stacy and Adelaide on Tuesday evening and Thursday afternoon.  He loved that time with them and they did too.

Who would have guessed you go to Ireland to find Paris Texas?

Our Dallas Thiots
Early Saturday morning, in the midst of snow and ice on the ground, Sky and Kara very carefully made it to the airport to catch their 7:00 am flight bound for Ireland.  Yes, where would you like to spend the first week of March? They texted this morning that they arrived and had rented a car that has the steering wheel on the right hand side of the car and are driving on the wrong side of the road and having a wonderful time.  They return next Saturday night.  What fun!!!!!

Had fun making Ham Radio Class posters

We Plano Thiots
After a cold cold week, of freezing rain, sleet and snow, I'm ready for some sunshine.  Our Stake had a Preparedness Fair planned for yesterday which the ice and snow made necessary to cancel.  It seemed kind of funny to have bad weather cancel something teaching us how to prepare for such an event.  They promised to reschedule soon.  Dick was going to work in the Amateur Radio booth and sign people up top get licensed to operate their ham radios.  He asked me to help with a poster and we had fun doing that together.
I had my last week of my writing class and it was kind of sad to be finished.  I didn't know I would enjoy that class as much as I did.  It was a good experience to write somethings I have been wanting to write.  This week we had to choose a photograph and tell the story behind it.  As I was looking though photos, this one jumped out at me and I knew what story I wanted to write.  Here is the photo and here is the story.

Wrapped in Gigi’s Love

In our family, when a baby girl greets her first birthday, she is blessed with Gigi crocheted blanket to wrap her baby doll in.  My sixth granddaughter, Little Miss Adelaide who was my mother’s 17^th Great Granddaughter would be no different for she holds a very special place in her Gigi’s heart.

Adelaide Elizabeth was born on the 18^th day of June in 2013 at Ronald Reagan Hospital in Los Angeles California.  She came to this world one month before her due date and arrived tiny but perfect.  She weighed only 3 lbs and 4 ounces and was the subject of many prayers in our family for many weeks.  Our Little Lady was born just two months before my sweet mom underwent her heart surgery in August 2013.  They hadn’t had a chance to meet in person but mom had received lots and lots of photos of our tiny angel and loved her already. 

So what happened next was both a surprise and a miracle.  Mom and I were sitting in her living room on Sunday afternoon, reading some uplifting stories from the September Ensign magazine when the doorbell rang.  I went down the stairs to the front door and on the front porch was a baby lying in a car seat. I Iooked all around but no one else was in sight. As I stood and looked at that precious little angel, tears started streaming down my face.  It was my sweet little tiny Adelaide and she had driven all the way from Los Angeles, California to Sandy, Utah to meet her great grandmother and bring some good medicine that no doctor could prescribe. 

For the next two hours, mom and I took turns holding and loving Lady. There is something almost magical about new babies.  They are so close from heaven above and still have the sweet smell of angels.  Oh how we loved holding her and talking and singing to our little baby girl.  Mom and I both agreed it was truly a wonderful surprise and it made us both smile for days ahead.  Babies are Miracles and Good Medicine.

My sweet mom never really got feeling as great as the doctors all promised she would with her new heart valve.  She had a fall and fractured her pelvis which delayed her recovery and made for many hard months of physical therapy.  She tried so hard to be cheerful and never complained and tried to carry on her loving traditions.  It was a few days before Adelaide’s first birthday and she woke up early and had my dad go downstairs to get her softest pink baby yarn and her size J crochet hook.  He brought it upstairs and she went to work.  She was not feeling very well, but that didn't stop her efforts.  She double crocheted row after row stopping only to check her blood and have her meals.  Before she went to bed, she had finished the sweet shell edging  around the border of the doll blanket.  The next morning, she packaged it up with the darling baby doll and sent my dear dad off to the post office to be sure Adelaide would receive it on her birthday. 

It was only a week later that we lost my sweet mom.  She caught a cold and it quickly turned into Pneumonia and took her home to heaven.  There are so many sweet things that my mother did in her last two weeks.  It was almost as though she knew her time was short.  Oh how I miss her but still feel her nearby me.  I love you Mom! 

Little Adelaide Wrapped in Gigi's Love